Update on Erica

I haven't blogged a whole lot about Erica and her allergies and eczema and there's a lot of reasons for that.  I will one day blog about her history and the journey we've had up until now, but every time I try to write it all down, I get overwhelmed.  So I'll just start from last year.

In the spring of 2012, we discovered Erica had several food allergies:  peanuts, corn, soy, peas, and oranges.  After removing these things from her diet, her chronic stomach pain went away.  She started to FEEL good again.  And sure enough, anytime she ate something with one of her allergens in it, she'd feel HORRIBLE.  It was great to see such a huge improvement.  However, we saw absolutely no improvement in her eczema.  After switching between this steroid and that for her skin, the allergist finally agreed to try Immunotherapy (allergy injections) with her, as she also tested positive to MANY environmental allergens:  between the tree pollens, mountain cedar, grass, and weeds - there's something pollinating all year long that she's allergic to.  She started them in October 2012.  They said it could take 6 mos to a year to start seeing results.  Three months in and her skin is horrific.  I mean, I've said many times in the past year that her skin is the worst it's ever been, and I feel like her skin is telling me, "oh you think so?  You ain't seen nothin' yet!"  I am SOOO hopeful though, because her skin seems to flare exceptionally the day she gets her injection.  While it is soooo hard to watch her be so miserable right now, I just know that once her immunity is built up from the injections, her skin will clear up.  I just know it.  It got so bad over Christmas, that we decided to put her another round of prednisone.  It always clears her up immediately, but she usually flares worse again after she stops.  And that is exactly what happened.  Not to mention that the steroids have REALLY affected her negatively.  We decided to completely stop ALL steroid use.  We have noticed a HUGE change in her.  Her intense anxiety has vanished.  She is a happy little girl again!  We are so thankful for that!

New Look

I was lucky enough to win a new custom blog header from a giveaway over at Momma on a Mission.  And because Ashley is such a good friend, she walked me through updating some other things on my blog too!  It'll always be a work on progress, but I am glad that it's been updated a bit.  Maybe this will encourage me to blog more?  Maybe... possibly... we'll see.

Soup

I am linking up with Kelly's Korner today to share my 2 favorite soup recipes.  I LOVE soup. I love making it (because seriously, what's easier than throwing a bunch of stuff in a pot?), and I love eating it.  These are my 2 go-to soups.  They're easy and they're SO good.  I literally get compliments on them anytime I take them anywhere.  They're great to take to a friend or bring to a pot luck too!  And my favorite part about these recipes, is I can make them completely allergen free for our family!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
1 large box of chicken stock
1-2 lbs. cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can pinto beans
1 can corn (I leave this out due to allergies)
1 zucchini, chopped
1 zucchini squash, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic
cumin
southwestern seasoning
-sorry, I don't measure the seasonings, so use your discretion

Directions:
Just throw it all in a pot on the stove.  Add enough water to cover everything.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3-4 hours.

To individual servings add lime juice, sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips.


Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients:
2 lb. package of frozen diced hashbrowns
3 c. chicken stock
3 c. milk
3 c. shredded cheese

Directions:
Cook the hashbrowns and chicken stock in a crock pot on high for 4 hours.
Add the milk and cheese and blend until smooth.  Continue to cook on high until all the cheese is melted and the soup is hot.  Add salt and pepper to your liking.

To individual servings add sour cream, additional cheese, bacon, and chives.